07 Equality, Rights, and Distributive Justice Free Online FlashCards

Does equality require everyone to receive the same things?

Equality means treating people as equals in a relevant respect; it does not require that everyone be identical or receive the same things.

How does fair equality of opportunity differ from formal equality?

Formal equality applies the same rules to everyone. Fair equality of opportunity asks whether people with similar abilities and effort have genuinely comparable prospects.

What distinction does luck egalitarianism make?

Luck egalitarianism distinguishes disadvantages caused by circumstances beyond a person's control from those arising from voluntary choices.

What is a right?

A right is a protected claim, liberty, or entitlement. It can limit interference or establish claims to participation or legal protection.

What does strict equality prescribe, and what is one challenge for it?

Strict equality gives each person an equal share of the goods being distributed. Equal shares may fail to meet different needs, such as those arising from a serious disability.

What risk can arise from maximizing total well-being?

A utilitarian policy could impose serious losses on a minority if doing so produces larger benefits for others.

What is the original position in Rawls's theory?

The original position is a hypothetical social-contract choice in which people select society's basic rules without knowing their future social position.

What does Rawls's difference principle require?

The difference principle permits social and economic inequalities only when they work to the greatest benefit of the least advantaged.

What is the focus of relational egalitarianism?

Relational egalitarianism emphasizes whether people can relate as equals, without domination, stigma, or inferior social status.

Why don't equal basic rights settle distributive questions?

Equal basic rights do not determine how income, education, health care, or other benefits should be distributed.

What do need- or sufficiency-based views prioritize?

Need- or sufficiency-based views prioritize meeting essential needs or ensuring everyone reaches an adequate threshold. They may allow large inequalities above that threshold.

What outcome does utilitarianism commonly aim to maximize?

Utilitarianism judges arrangements by their overall consequences, commonly aiming to maximize total well-being.